War is costly business, and disaster only strikes when the side meant to submit refuses to due to wrong advice and assurance from supposed allies, sometimes miscalculation and underestimation of the opponent at hand. When the dominant force is clear of objective and direction, they will not let their guns down as it affects the entire journey, and destination if they do.
In hindsight, last month was one of the most intriguing months in my career and personal life, exciting and heart wrecking alike. It will be a month to include in my life’s biography.
GREEK MYTHOLOGY
One of the highlights was an encounter with a Greek Psychologist and Philosopher called Vasilios who taught me about Greek mythology and Pythagoras theorem which was initially supposed to be this month's statement. He also exposed me to Socrates and Plato philosophies and universal alignment systems used in the past where date of birth and first name could show a person's universal inclination, and show highlights of purpose in a detailed sense.
25th March, my 28th birthday was a very memorable one. I was so thankful and humbled by the messages, gifts and surprises. On the day, not only was my 8th book released but major relationship adjustments activated. It’s when I vowed to stop crossing oceans for people that won’t jump puddles for me, as I concentrated on those that had proven themselves. Also a day that I oversaw the appointment of Vice Chairman of Tonniez Group Holdings.
I spent the rest of the afternoon with my team at an imperial war museum in London where we saw a lot of ancient warfare techniques, an insight into advanced ones, artifacts, art, Hilter's holocaust memorial, Mi5, Mi6 and FBI history and even some few secrets I am not permitted to write about. In this statement will be an account of the private tour which I sincerely hope you will enjoy.
STRATEGY BOARD
'Today I send you the map drawn by my father during battle of abit Hachem which preceded the attempt of the German and Italian forces to take Tobruk, which succeeded only afterwards my father's success which found a friendly remark by Churchill did not last long of your father's generalship.' - Manfiels Rommel, November 2011, sending this map as a Christmas gift of reconciliation and friendship to Viscount Montgomery, the son of his father's great rival in the desert.
This board was used for three years from 1940 to 1943 by German leading commander, General Erwin Rommel to chart the progress of his attack on Egypt which begun in January 1942.
Unlike some other fronts, the war in North Africa was not driven by ferocity and it saw few civilian atrocities thou everyone had to fight the desert as well as the enemy.
General Rommel became known as 'The Desert Fox'. Even Churchill claimed, 'we have a very daring and skilful opponent against us and may I say across the havoc of war, a Great General.'
WORLD WAR 1 UNIFORMS
I tried on a couple of the world war 1 British uniforms and helmets to have a feel and imagine myself in the shoes of these soldiers. My experience was they were too heavy compared to current uniforms and would have been a stretch to have on when it rained or was too hot, actually too heavy to wear at anytime.
GERMAN MG 08 MACHINE GUN
This gun would fire up to 450 bullets per minute. It caused heavy casualties as German machine gunners emerged from their deep dugouts largely unscathed by the bombardment.
Major James Jack described it as, 'the murderous rattle of German machine guns served without a break, not withstanding our intense bombardment which had been expected to silence them.'
U-BOATS
When the Germans captured France's Atlantic coastline in 1940, the war at sea intensified. Devastating attacks on ships approaching Britain were launched by German aircrafts, warships and submarines known as U-boats. Churchill referred to this battle as, 'The Battle of the Atlantic.'
In 1940, the Germans could not send more than 15 U-boats to patrol the Atlantic at anyone time. By 1942, the building of Type VIIC U-boats, like this model, raised that number to over 80.
WURZBURG A RADAR DISHES
Once they had taken control of France in 1940, the Germans built anti-aircraft defences from Paris to Denmark. To reach their targets, RAF bombers had to fly through a barrier of radar, guns, search lights and night fighters.
New German Würzburg A Radar Dishes, like the one above, formed part of this network. When radar units located hostile aircrafts with their dish antennae, they were able to direct guns and fighters towards the bombers to stop them going through.
REUTERS LAND ROVER
This armoured Land Rover was used by the British press agency Reuters in the Palestinian territory in 2006 during a period of violence between Palestinian militants and the Israeli military. It was struck by an Israeli air-launched rocket. Journalists Shana and Sabbah Hmaida, who were traveling in this vehicle were injured.
MORRISON SHELTER
Air raid shelters could be cold, scary and uncomfortable. People often preferred to shelter indoors, under the stairs or in the cellar.
The indoor Morrison Shelter was introduced in March 1941. It was intended to keep people safe if a house collapsed in an air raid. It was named after the Minister of Home Security, Herbert Morrison. It was a thick steel box with wire mesh sides. People felt safer inside its steel frame, but they also worried it may become a trap.
BAGHDAD CAR
This was the wreckage of a civilian car destroyed in Baghdad, Iraq on 5th March 2007 by a suicide bomb. This bomb destroyed the Mutannabi Street Book Market where thirty-eight people were killed and over a hundred injured. This car is was taken around the USA by artist Jeremy Deller.
IRVIN JACKET
The Irvin flying jacket which costs nearly €800 each was designed to meet the requirements of pilots who were flying higher, longer and faster. The thick natural wool of sheepskin provided incredible insulation and comfort.
The jacket was designed to be incredibly light and supple allowing ease of movement in the often cramped cockpit. The legendary piece of RAF history is easily recognised by its Irvin Woven label.
V1 FLYING BOMB AND V2 ROCKET
The Nazi used the V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets to attack London and South East England in 1944 and 1945. They killed thousands and damaged over a million homes.
These weapons were built under Brutal conditions by workers enslaved by the Nazis.
PATROL CARS
British soldiers were trained to fight conventional wars on a battlefield. There were not prepared for the challenging task of patrolling British streets. The enemy was unseen, little different from the people they knew in their hometowns.
These are the voices of some of the soldiers who faced this difficult challenge, trying to keep the peace and strike a balance between the two fiercely divided communities of Northern Island.
BRIEFING ROOMS
Mi6, the Secret Intelligence Service, was created in 1909 but it's role and very existence was not officially recognised until the Intelligence Services Act of 1994 which stated that its functions were:
a) to obtain and provide information relating to the actions or intentions of persons outside the British islands.
b) to perform other tasks relating to the actions or intentions of such persons.
WORLD TRADE CENTRE STEEL FRAME
On 11th September 2001 (usually known by the American-style date as 9/11) two airliners were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. They had been hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. Both towers collapsed 90 minutes later, killing nearly 3,000 people.
This steel window frame was lifted from the ruins of the North Tower. The burnt and twisted metal still graphically expresses the sickening violence that destroyed the buildings.
T-34 TANK
In 1954, this Soviet tank design was built in Czechoslovakia. It was later sold to Egypt and captured by Israeli forces during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. It's was acquired by the IWM in the late 1970s. The T-34 was a highly successful Soviet tank design of the Second World War.
SHERMAN M4A4 TANK
This Sherman M4A4 Tank landed in Normandy with the Guards Armoured Division. Made in America, used by British troops, it is the symbol of the combined Allied effort that helped liberate Europe in 1944 to 1945.
The fighting in France, Belgium and Holland ran on through the winter. Mirroring the Soviet Army's advance of the Eastern Front, in February 1945, the allies moved into Germany. Attacked on both sides, the German forces in the West finally surrendered in 7th May.
CLARKAIR BULLDOZERS
As the armies moved forward into Europe, they needed air support. To build temporary landing strips, Clarkair Bulldozers like this above were landed from gliders behind the advancing troops.
Despite heavy casualties and fierce German resistance Allied troops moved steadily inland. 'Overload' aimed to capture all of Northern France as far as the rivers Seine and Loire within three months. This objective was taken ten days earlier than planned and Paris was liberated on 25th August.
ESCAPE SUIT
In 1980, Britain announced that it would replace its ageing stock of Polaris Missiles with the American Trident system. In 2014, the Royal Navy were operating four nuclear submarines armed with Trident ll D-5 ballistic missiles. This force makes up Britain's independent nuclear deterrent.
The above bright orange Escape Suit was designed to help crew members to escape if a Trident submarine sank. The above unit was left behind in a pub in Barrow-in-Furness after a fancy dress party.
TYPE G73 T3 TORPEDO
U-boats became Germany's main way of attacking British and Allied merchant ships. U-boats became captains hunted for victims across the seas. To sink ships, U-boats could either surface and use gunfire or remain under the sea and fire torpedoes through the water.
Early torpedoes powered by compressed air, left visible trails of bubbles in the water. From 1942, the Type G7e T3 Torpedo used an electric motor, making it invisible and able to strike without warning.
MIDGET SUBMARINE X-7
From its Norwegian base, the German battleship Tirpitz threatened Allied ships. It was attacked by British Midget submarines on 22nd September 1943.
X-7 was one of the midget submarines to reach the Tirpitz. It's commander, Godfrey Place, set two mines under the ship. However, X-7 was badly damaged in the explosion. Commander Place surfaced to surrender but X-7 flooded and sank. Two crewmen drowned. Only Place and one other survived.
The Germans later recovered part of the X-7, pictured above, after the attack. But the rest remained under water until raised by a group of British divers in 1976. These sections were later presented to IWM.
THE MERLIN ENGINE
Rolls-Royce names it's aero-engines after birds of prey. In 1933, it begun to develop this powerful new engine that became known as 'The Merlin'.
Both the Hurricane and the Spitfire - the two iconic fighters of the Battle of Britain in 1940 - were built around the Merlin. The engine also powered new bombers like the Lancaster and some Halifaxes. Nearly 150,000 Merlins were made before the production ended in 1950. It's was probably the war's most famous and admired aircraft engine.
OTHER HISTORICALS
There were several other treasures leaving my biggest challenge with choice on what to share and what to leave out. I was able to, however, select a few dozens that I considered to hold more value in respect to the framework of this statement.
Now, as you embark on the second quarter of 2018, may you be reminded that as a leader, no amount of persuasion and emotion should ever push you to compromise your vision and clarity of direction for a surbodinate. Be careful to recognise the breaking points let go of anyone who isn't willing to be obedient and in alignment with the core objectives.
I wish you a happy, successful and fulfilling month.
Till next month,
I remain truly yours,
Tonny Rutakirwa,
Chairman,
Tonniez Group Holdings,
Serving since 28th December 2008